Orchard heater



United States Patent [72] lnventor Joseph Carnesecca, Jr.

304 R.F.D. 1, Springville, Utah 84663 [2]] Appl. No. 765,348

[22] Filed Get. 7, 1968 [45] Patented Dec. 29, 1970 [541 ORCHARD HEATER 10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] U5. Cl 126/595 [51] Int. Cl A0lg 13/06 [50] Field ofSearch 126/595; 431/341, 342

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,100,101 6/1914 Schej 431/342 3.391,684 7/1968 Brader 126/595 3,451,387 6/1969 Hill 126/595 FOREIGN PATENTS 355,645 8/1961 Switzerland 126/595 OTHER REFERENCES Strupat, German App. No. 1,090,022 pub. Sept. 29. 1960 c1ass 126/595.

Primary Examiner-Charles J. Myhre Attorneys-Mallinckrodt & Mallinckrodt, Philip A.

Mallinckrodt and Kay S. Carnaby ABSTRACT: An upstanding corrugated frustoconical shell encloses a gas igniting element. A slot is formed in the wall of the shell to permit entry of a volatile gas jet for ignition within the shell which causes the heating of the same resulting in the emission of heat due to radiation and convection.

PATENTEDnmswsm 3,550.57?

sum 1 0F 2 Fig.2

. Joseph Carnesecca, Jr. ,v-

INVIiNTOR.

Attorney orchard heating devices require the destruction. The prior art includes several heating devices which are elevated with respect to the ground and subject fruit trees to heated convection currents generated by the heaters. However, inasmuch as heated air rises rapidly, a great proportion of the heated convection current is lost due to the upward motion ofheatedair to the open atmosphere. Certain other devices includes gas burners which are prone to being extinguished under the influence of winds or gusts. Still other prior artdevices are large inform and revent the convenient stacking of a large number of heal ers for storage during seasons when they are not needed. A large number of present rrnanent installation of pipes within or along the orchard gr und surface. The exposureof these pipes inhibitsfield cul ivation and operations during those seasons when the heaters are not in use.

The present invention includes a orrugated frustoconical shell placed upon a ground surface ahd enclosing an igniting element therein. A' gas nozzle directs volatile gas jet through a slot formed in the wall of the shell for ignition by the en closed igniter. The heat generated within the shell raises the temperature of the shell body causing emission of radiant heat gations thereby restricting the upward escape of air heated within the shell. A significant feature of the present invention I resides'in the inclusion of aflameless igniting member within the shell which is maintained at an incandescent temperature. Thus, even in the presence of winds, a volatile gas jet becomes ignited when passing over'the igniter thereby obviating the necessity of a flame atthe gas nozzle. Further, the incandescent igniter assures complete combustion of the volatile gases within the heater shellfThe frustoconical shape of the present invention enables multiple stacking for convenience in storing the heaters when not in use. The gas nozzle associated with the present invention is'mounted upon a feed pipe having an intermediate slip coupling. The pipe and coupling are received within a ground recess thereby permitting the lowering of the gas nozzle below the ground surface so that travel over the orchard ground 'byfarm machines is unimpeded.

These together with other objects and advantages .which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and. claimed. reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the present heater.

FIG. 2 .is a top plan view of the frustoconical heater shell with the cap removed.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along section line 3-3 of FIG. I-showing the igniter element within the heater shell and further illustrating the disposition of the gas nozzle supply line below a groundsurface.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along a plane passing through sectionline4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view illustrating a particular form of heater cap.

FIG. 6 is a partial longitudinal sectional view taken along a plane passing along section line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

upper major portion of the shell wall ischaracterized by corrugations 22. a 1

The shell base includes a rectangular slot 24 extending upwardly from the lower end 16. Two outwardly extending and parallel spaced tabs 26 form .an-entranceway intoslot 24. The top end 18 of the shell is closed by a cap member generally denoted by 28. Cap 28 includes a generally concave surface 30 integrally connected toa right cylindrical portion 31 which in turn is integrally connected to a downwardly and outwardly angulated arcuate rib portion 32.

In the preferred installation of the present invention. a gas nozzle 34 is disposed outwardly adjacent rectangular slot24. The nozzle is located above a cinder block 36 recessed within the ground for purposes-to become hereinafter apparent.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a wedge-shaped member of ceramic material or the like serves as a gas igniter and is through which ignited gas passes.

generally denoted by reference numeral 38. The igniter is characterized by a generally hollow interior and includes a topward inclined surface 42 integrally connected with a concave contour is portion 44 confronting the open slot 24. The purpose of the concave contour is for collecting the jet stream directed theretoward. The inward end of the igniter element 38 includes a steplike edge 40'and side ports .46 for permitting the circulation of air into the interior of the element. The upper surface 42 of the element includes In operation, volatile gas is emitted from the gas supply noz-.

zle 34, the gas being in the form of propane or the like. Initially, the emitted gas jetis ignited at the nozzle which causes tion 48 in the upper surface thereof causes a generally even diffusion or distribution of ignited gas into the interior .of the shell 14. As the heat within the shell builds up, radiant energy is emitted from the outward surface of the shell wall. It is noted that the upward and inward inclination of the peripheral corrugations 22 causes radiant energy to be directed upwardly from the heater toward surrounding orchard trees. j

Reference is made to FIGS. 5 and 6 which show a second cap member 28' resembling an inverted tin can including a right cylindrical wall 50 connected with an upwardly oriented circular base 52. The loweropen end of the cap structure is.

' rolled to form a smooth edge 53. Air heated by the igniter element 38 slowly rises and heats the shell wall as previously mentioned. The heated air is collected in the chamber defined between cap 28' and the top edge 18 of the frustoconical shell. As the arrows indicate, this heated air slowly escapes in a downward direction along the channels formed by the corrugations 22. Thus, the heated air is given an initial downward impetus before it gradually changes its direction to the upward vertical direction. Hence. a:convection current of heated air from the shell is urged to remain in-the ground vicinity of v the orchard instead of immediately escaping vertically upward to the atmosphere where the heat of the convection current is lost. Thus, the heater emits heat due to convection and radiation. Although the foregoing has been explained with reference to cap member 28, it will be appreciated that an identical functional operation occurs when utilizing cap member 28. The use of a particular form of cap depends upon fabrication economy and convenience in handling.

Referring to FIG. 3, the feed or supply pipe connected to gas noule 34 is generally denoted by 54 and includes a lower pipe section 55 embedded within the. ground and extending upwardly into a recess formed in the ground. The upper end of the lower pipe section 55 includes a threaded portion 56 which mounts a nut member 60. An upper pipe section 58 is disposed within nut member. 60 and concentrically engages the lower pipe section' 55 so as to form two cooperating telescoping-pipe sections' The nut member 60 includes a sealgrille apertures 48 v ing member 61, for sealing the space between pipe sections 55 and 58, when nut member 60 is tightened. Tightening nut member 60 also prevents sliding relative motion between pipe sections 55 and 58. Nut member 60 and sealing member 61 may be described as a slip coupling which permits the vertical sliding displacement of nozzle 34 with respect to the ground surface. The nozzle is connected to the upward pipe section 58 by means of an elbow'joint 62. The nozzle 34 further includes a valve member 64 for regulating the gas flow therethrough and a nozzle orifice 66 which directs a gas jet outwardly therefrom.

In operation, the slip coupling is unloosened to permit the adjustment of nozzle 34 with respect to slot 24. Further, during seasons when the heater is not needed, the slip coupling may be unloosened to permit the retraction of the nozzle 34 within the ground recess formed within block 36. The recess may be covered by a suitable closure, flush with the ground surface, thereby permitting men and machines to travel thereover without being impeded by-an upwardly projecting gas nozzle.

Although the present invention may be employed with a permanently installed feed pipe, it will be appreciated that a flexible hose fabricated from a suitable elastomeric material such as polyvinyl chloride may be utilized as well. In such applications, the flexible hose may be rolled when the heaters are no longer necessary, and conveniently stored for later use.

in addition, the feed pipe or supply pipe being employed with the gas nozzle may be used to supply an irrigation system with water during an appropriate season when the heaters are not required.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

lclaim:

1. in an orchard heating device, an upstanding tubular shell for radiating heat from the surface thereof and discharging heated air from the upper end thereof; means associated with the upper end of said shell to control the rate and direction of discharge of heated air from said shell; and igniting means disposed in the bottom of the shell and including a hollowed wedge-shaped means adapted to be maintained at an incandescent temperature, said igniting means further including apertures therein for diffusing'ignited gas from said igniting means and distributing said ignited gas evenly within said shell.

2. The device set forth in claim 1 wherein said shell is characterized by a corrugated frustoconical wall which directs radiant heat in an upwardly an gulated direction.

3. The device set forth in claim 2 wherein said means to control discharge of heated air includes a cylindrical cap disposed atop said frustoconical wall and defining a chamber within said cap communicating with the interior of said shell, said cap venting said shell and directing the escape of heated air downwardly along the corrugations of the shell.

4. The device set forth in claim 1, together with a gas noule connected to an underground supply pipe, and means for adjusting the vertical position of said noule with respect to the supply pipe. 1

5. A heating device comprising a longitudinally corrugated tubular shell for emitting radiant heat; a slot formed in the wall of said shell; nozzle means disposed in external alignment with said slot and adapted to direct a jet of volatile gas and air mixture through said slot; means disposed in the base of said shell for igniting said gas jet and raising the temperature of said shell so that radiation of heat therefrom occurs, said igniting means including a hollow wedgelike means adapted to be maintained at incandescent temperatures, said igniting means further including apertures therein for diffusing ignited gas from said ignitin means and distributing said ignited as evenly within sai shell, and a cap disposed atop said 5 ell defining a chamber within said cap communicating with the interior of said shell, said cap venting said shell and directing the escape of ignited gas downwardly along the corrugations of said shell.

6. The device set forth in claim 5 wherein said shell is frustoconical in shape with the upper end thereof being smaller whereby emitted radiant heat has a major portion thereof directed in an upward direction.

7. An orchard heater comprising a substantially frustoconical, heat radiating shell adapted to rest on its end of larger diameter as a base over heating means and converging from said end to its opposite end of smaller diameter, with its body being longitudinally corrugated from adjacent the base end to the opposite end by means of elongate corrugations that became progressively deeper from said base end to said other end, mutually adjacent walls of said corrugations being angularly related to direct radiated heat divergently outwardly, such radiated heat also being directed upwardly when said shell rests on its base by reason of both the upwardly tapered formation of the shell and the corrugations that become progressively deeper in their upward extent.

8. An orchard heater according to claim 7 wherein the specified opposite end thatis uppermost when the shell rests on its base end is open; and including a cap adapted to rest upon such open upper end of the shell for deflecting heated air emerging from said open'upper end of the shell.

9. An orchard heater according to claim 7, including a gas burner in the base of the shell.

10. An orchard heater according to claim 7, wherein the base end of the shell and a portion of the shell extending therefrom are cylindrical and uncorrugated. 

